Flexible support for vibrated members



Oct. 20,1942. SYMONS 2,299,661

FLEXIBLE SUPPORT FOR= VIBRATED-MEMBERS Filed March 17. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 20, 1942. 5, s o s 2,299,661

FLEXIBLE SUPPORT FOR VIBRATED MEMBERS Filad March 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J ,9 MM

ATTORNEYS.

the channel 9.

Patented Oct. 20, 1942 FLEXIBLE. SUPPORT FOR VIBRATED MEMBERS Loren G. *Symons, Hollywood, (Jalif., assignor to Nordberg- Manufac-turing Company, Milwaukee,

WiS n a corporation of Wisconsin vApplication March 17, 1939,. SerialNo. 262,366

A! 22 Claims.

.My invention relates to an improvement -in flexible supportingmeans for screens,-conveyors and thelike. .Onepurposeis theprovision of a supporting elementtadapted to.permit vibration ,of a supportedmember.

.Another purpose is the, provisionof such an element 1 adapted .to constrain a screen or con- .veyor or the like tolsubstantially.linear vibration. Another purpose is the provision ofa supportingmember or. element ior.screens,-conveyors and the like which shalllhavea long life andsmaximum efiiciency.

Other purposeswill-appear from .timeto time in the course of the specification. and claims.

I. illustrate, my invention more or lessdiagrammatically. in the accompanying drawings where- 1n:

Fig. 1,,is, a. partial longitudinal vertical section through a. screen embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional. viewmf a detail; Fig. 3 is. a. section taken on the line 33 of Fig. '1 one reduced scale; and

.-Fig. 4 is an enlargedsection taken-on the-line 4-4 ofEig 3.

Like ,parts. are indicated: by .like. characters throughout. the, specification and the drawings. Referring. to thedrawings, I m ay employ a base frame including .horizontally .extending; members, channels or the like I, 2,.which.may be connected by any suitable crossmembers. *I illustrate herein transversely extending crossmembers 3,4. The details of the basestructure are not of.themselvesimportant and do not form part offthe present invention.

Angles '.5,are located:.within-..the sideframe members I and 2,,each saidangle having an outwardly extending flange 6. v"Iothis flange a horizontal, transversely extending angle I .is secured, with its'flangela which. serves-as a supportfor This channel 9 andv the flange 8'extend most or all of. the way across the interior of ,the' frame.

10 generally indicates the supported frame,

which in this instance isa screen frame, the detailsof which do not ofthemselves form part of the invention. "At the endof the'frame I0 is a transversely S-extending angle H with a flange 12. parallel. with andnpwardlyspaced from the .flange 8.0n then-base.

The purpose otthe invention isto permit a linear movement onvibration of; the frame in in relation to the. base. Stated otherwise, they purpose ,is topermita movementofthegflange l2 parallel with-the plane-of the fiange B. v It -will be understood, of course, .that this vibrationor movement, which is effectively linear, would constitute' anarc if. it were indefinitely-prolonged. However, so far as the screening onconveyingeffect is concerned, the arcuate characteristic of this movement or .vibrationisso flat or slight as to be negligible.

Interposed.betweenthesopposed faces of the flanges 8 and. I 2 is a linkage which includes a lower, downwardly .concavewhannel 3 and van upper, upwardlyconcave channel l i a longitudinally extending connecting. and supporting .web- [5, and spaced transverselyextending-webs or supports iii. .The result istoprovideapowerful compression member. which .will standwhatever compression is. demanded by. an; ordinary screen or conveyor and which will be effective to support the, weight of thescreenzor conveyor and of the .materialdelivered -to..it.or carried on its upper surface.

.Positioned, above the channel .I 4 is the-inverted channel. I l which. abuts againstthe flange .12. It will be. observed that. the channels 9, -l 3-, and l4, l1 constitutesubstantially closed spaces, the opposed edges of. the... channels. however- -being somewhat spaced apart. Within these closed spaces. I; positionlongitudinally extending pads orsupports of.flexiblecompressible material-such as rubber or:,thellke, whichin thepresentdnstance are continuous blocks, or, strips extending substantially .from .end .to end. of. the-channels. These .strips. havetheirupper. and lower faces formed to conform=..accurately .to the opposed faces of the channels which-engage them.

I. findit. desirable, .inorder .to increase. the flexibility. and compressibility of the blocks as indicated. atifl, to provide inwardly l cut -away portions orchannels 2 I! along the 1 free; surfaces oithe blocks -20, between the opposed edgeswof their confining channel. members. I-also find it desirable, although not. essential, to. provide in each block 20 a central. portion 22 of somewhat harder rubber than that which forms :the: rest of the block. The purposeis to prevent an ,unintendedly complete compressionpf'the blocks 20 and to [constrain themltoa generally straightline movement. Thehardened portion ot -the rubber provides a necessarysupportagainst overcompression which however, is obtained-without inhibiting the freellateraluflexureof the link structure-as a whole.

In a broad sense, the sclid orharderapart of the rubber acts as a specieslof pivot. upon which the opposed channels can rock. However, .it

permitting the hardened portion 22 to serve as a species of radius member.

In order to constrain the parts to the above described substantially linear pattern of movement, I provide the means for positively clamping the angle l2 downwardly against the angle 8 and for preventing any substantial movement of the angle l2 upwardly away from the angle 8. That.

is to say, there is very little rise or fall of the member [2 in relation to the member 8, a movement so slight as to be in practice negligible.

The particular means for holding the flange l2 down against the flange 8 in the construction herein shown includes a plurality of bolts 23. In this instance'I illustrate a pair of such bolts, one located at and beyond each end of the link structure proper. Each bolt 23 is threaded through apertures 24, 25 in the flanges 8 and i2, respectively, these apertures being of suflicient size to permit a certain lateral movement of the bolt, which is necessary in order to prevent any cramping and also in order to prevent any metal to metal contact between any portion of the bolt and the surrounding edges of the said apertures 24 and 25. Each bolt is provided with a limiting abutment 26' at one end, which may be opposed to a'washer 2! and a locking nut 23 at the oppositeend opposed to a washer 29.

Interposed between the'washer 29 and the upper surface of the flange l2, and also interposed between the washer 21 and the lower surface of the flange 8 are conic pads or members 30 which may be of rubber or any equivalent compressible, flexible material. These preferably include portions- 3| which extend into th apertures 24 or 25, respectively, in order to prevent any metal to metal contact between the bolts 23 and the metal of the flanges 8 or l2. The compression may, of course, be adjusted by setting the looking nut 28. The rubber pads 30 permit the necessary flexure of the bolts 23 in relation to the channels 8 and 12 through which they pass.

Any suitable means may be employed for tending to return the platform or screen frame to a predetermined neutral position. I illustrate, for example, a coil spring 35, which may be compressed between an opposed fixed abutment 36 on-the base and an abutment 3'! on the screen frame itself. In the form of the device as herein shown, the link is inclined from the vertical. Therefore, in effect, the spring is balanced or set to neutralize the gravital tendency of the screen frame to move the linkage above described in a counter-clockwise direction. It will be understood, however, that the linkage may be set at any desired angle, or may be perpendicular, and that any desired means may be employed to return it to neutral position. Under many circumstances no such return means are necessary. It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to :be .taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to the specific structure or structures herein described and shown.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I find it advantageous to employ a flexible connection for vibrated screens, conveyors or the like in which a metal to metal contact is avoided and in which the disadvantages of metallic supporting springs, with their tendency to break from fatigue is avoided. I prefer to employ blocks or bodies of flexible compressible material such as rubber. However, it often happens that in screening or conveying an amplitude of vibration is necessary which would cause an unduly great compression of the sides of a rubber block, if a single block of rubber or compressible, flexible material were employed.

I find it advantageous to obtain the advantages of a rubber block while preventing th heating or erosion which would take place if but a single block were employed. I therefore employ two members, of rubber or the like, as shown in Fig. l, which are separated by the radius member or the spacing support l5, of sufficient length or depth to allow a wide amplitude of vibration to the screen or conveyor. The member l5 and the rubber blocks are proportioned to carry heavy loads and at the same time to limit the compression at the edges of the blocks to such a small amplitude that no heating or erosion of the rubber will result. 7

In actual practice, the employment of two separate blocks, as shown in Fig. 1, separated by the spacer i5, permits an amplitude of vibration many times that possible with the employment of a single block. In effect, a small angular displacement of the rubber block itself can be translated into a wide amplitude of vibration of the vibrated screen or conveyor by the use of the relatively deep intermediate supporting member I5. Increasing the length or depth of the inflexible member l5 increases the possible amplitude of vibration of the deck without increasing the compression at the edge of the rubber blocks, and at the same time maintains a sup-port that is just as rigid as though the screen deck were supported on a single block the siz of either one of the block shown.

It will be understood, of course, that whereas I have shown in Fig, 1 a single linkage at the end of the screen, a plurality of such connections may be employed along the length of the screen. Where linear vibration is desired for one end of the deck and orbital vibration for the other, a single unit may be employed at the end of the deck where linear vibration is desired, and any other appropriate supporting means may be employed for supporting the other end of the deck and for permitting non-linear or orbital vibration. On the other hand, if alinear vibration is desired from end to end of the deck, both ends of the deck may be supported upon units such as are shown in Fig. 1 and, with a long deck, any desired number of intermediate units may be employed along the length of the deck or screen.

It will also be understood that where I employ the term linear vibration, I wish it to be interpreted as of sufficient breadth to cover slightly arcuate vibration, as the actual form of vibration obtained with the linkage herein described is effectively linear, so far as its action on the particles is concerned, but is strictly speaking arcuate in that it is vibration about a center at or near the channel'B and in general alinem'ent with the central web of the'member I5.

In connection with .theflinkage structure: above described; the employment. ofa hardened center 22 ineach'of the blocks, with soft rubber 2| at each-side thereof, is advantageous as providing in effect an extension of the central web [5 to contact with the members 8.and 12, while still preventingthe.friction which would result from abearing or a. metal to' metal contact.

\ I claim:

-1. In --a-. flexible support for screens and the like, a base andadeck supported thereon, a fixed abutment member on said base, an opposed abutment member on said :deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said deck, and being generally rectilinear in theirextensi'on, and a compression receiving element interposed between said abutment members,- includinga-pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located one adjacent each said abutment memberpand an intermediate radius member located between said blocks and spacing them apart, and means for applying compression .t .said compression receiving element, including .means-fordrawing said opposed abutment members together thereagainst.

-2.-In-a..flexible supportv for screens and the like,- a base .and:a deck supported thereon, a fixedabutment member on said base, an opposed abutment member-on said deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said ':--deck,- and being generally rectilinear in their extension, and a compression receiving element interposed between said abutment members, includinga pair of blocks of flexible, compressiblematerial, located one adjacent each said abutment-member, and an intermediate radius member located between said blocks andspac- .ing-them apart,and-means for applying compression to said compression receiving element, including means for drawing said opposed abutment members together thereagainst, and partially confining means for eachsaid block, in-

cluding opposed channel members on the abut- .ment-membersand on the radius member, the opposed edges ofsaid channel members being ,at all times spaced apart, whereby a lateral flexure of the blocks is. permitted.

3 In -a flexible support for screens and the like, .a baseand a deck supported thereon, a fixed abutment member. onsaid base, anopposed abutment member on :said deck, said abutment membersextending transversely in relation to said deck, and beinggenerally rectilinear in their 7 extension, and-a compression receiving element interposed between said abutment members, including a .pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located one adjacent each said abutment member, and an intermediate radius member .located between said blocks and spacing them. apart, and means for applying compressionstosaid compression receiving element, including bolts passing through said abutment members saidrabutmentmembers being aper-v I tured. to permit their passage, the size of the apertures beingsuflicientat alltimes to prevent direct contact between the bolts and the edges ofitheapertures, cushionmeans interposed between said bolts andv the outer faces of said abutment mcmberspand means for maintaining a predetermined compression against said cushion means.

- 4..In a flexible support for screens? and the like-,2. base'and-a.deck-supportedithereon, a; fixed 7 abutment member. on said base,.an opposedzabut- :ment'member on saiddeck,-'saidi abutment membersextending.transverselytin relation to said :deck, and being.v generally rectilinear in their :extension, and a compression receiving element :interposed between said abutment members, including a pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located'one adjacent eachsaidabutment-member, andan intermediate radius member located between said blocks and spacing them apart, and means for applying compression 'to said compression receiving element, .including'bolts :passing through said abutment members,*said abutment members being apertured to permit their passage, the size ofv the apertures being suflicient \at :all times to :prevent direct c'ontact'between the-bolts andthe edges ofthe 'apertures,' cushion .means interposed between said boltsaand the-outer faces of said abutment 'm'embers and' means for maintaining a predetermined compression against said cushion means, said cushion'means including portions extending into said apertures and directly interposed between the boltstand the edges of the apertures.

-5. Ina flexible. support for screens and the like, a'base and a deck supportedthereon, a fixed abutmentmember on said base, an opposed abut- :ment' member onsaid deck, said. abutment members extending transversely .in'tr'elation to said deck, and being. generally rectilinear in their :extension, and a compression receiving element interposed between .said'abutment members, in- .cluding a pair'of blocks of .flexible,'compressible materialylocated one-adjacent each said abut- ."ment member, and an intermediate radius member located between said blocks and spacing them apart,rand means for applyingcompression to said compression receiving element, including .means for drawing saidopposedabutment members together thereagainst, said'blocks including relatively hard central-portionslocated generally along the axis of thrust of said abutment members,xand softer portions at each side thereof.

'6.'In a flexible support for screens and the like, a base and a rdecksupported thereon, a fixed abutment member on-said base, an opposed abutment :memberon said deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said deck, andbeing generally rectilinear in their extension, and a compression receiving element interposed. between saidabutment members, including. a pair'of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located one adjacent each .said abutment member, and an intermediate radius member located between said blocks and. spacing .them apart, and means for applying compression to said compression. receiving element, including :means fordrawing said opposed abutment members together thereagainst, and additional means interposed between base and vibrated member, for urgingsaid flexible support normally toward a -*predetermined neutral position when the vibrated member is at rest.

'7. In a flexible support for screens and the like, a base'and aldeck supported. thereon, a fixed abutment member on said base, an opposed abutment member'onsaid deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said deck, and being generally rectilinear in their extension, and a compression receiving element interposed between said. abutment members, including a pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located=one adjacent each said abut- Tment member, and anintermediate radiusmemb-er located between said blocks and spacing them apart, and means for applying compression to said compression receiving element, including means for drawing said opposed abutment members together thereagainst, and additional means interposed between base and vibrated member, for urging said flexible support normally toward a predetermined neutral position when the vibrated member is at rest, including spring means interposed between base and vibrated member.

8. In a flexible support for screens and the like, a base and a deck supported thereon, a fixed abutment member on said base, an opposed abutment member on said deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said deck, and being generally rectilinear in their extension, and a compression receiving element interposed between said abutment members, including a pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located one adjacent each said abutment member, and an intermediate radius member located between said blocks and spacing them apart, and means for applying compression to said compression receiving element, including compression members located beyond the ends of said compression receiving element.

9. In a flexible support for screens and the like, a base and a deck supported thereon, a fixed abutment member on said base, an opposed abutment member on said deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said deck, and being generally rectilinear in their extension, and a compression receiving element interposed between said abutment members, including a pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located one adjacent each said abutment member, and an intermediate radius member located between said blocks and spacing them apart, and means for applying compression to said compression receiving element, including compression members located beyond the ends of said compression receiving element, and lying in the plane of thrust defined by said blocks.

10. In a flexible support for screens and the like, a base and a deck supported thereon, a fixed abutment member on said base, an opposed abutment member on said deck, said abutment members extending transversely in relation to said deck, and being generally rectilinear in their extension, and a compression receiving element interposed between said abutment members, including a pair of blocks of flexible, compressible material, located one adjacent each said abutment member, and an intermediate radius member located between said blocks and spacing them apart, and means for applying compression to said compression receiving element, including means for drawing said opposed abutment members together thereagainst, said blocks each including a relatively hard central portion, located generally in the plane of said radius member and of the axis of thrust between said abutment members, and softer portions at each side thereof.

11. In a flexible support for vibrated members, a base and a vibrated member, and a supporting connection therebetween, including a plurality of elements of flexible, compressible material, and a generally rigid radius member therebetween, each said element having a central portion of relatively hard material alined with and in effect forming an extension of said radius -member, and portions of softer material at each side thereof, and means aligned with said central portion of hard material for maintaining said elements of flexible, compressible material under continuous, substantially uniform, compression.

12. In combination, a screen, including a screen base, a deck mounted on said base, an abutment on said base, extending beneath and transversely of one end of said screen, an abutment on said deck extending transversely of said deck, and a flexible support interposed between said deck and said abutments, including a radius member and members of flexible compressible material inserted between opposed faces of said radius member and each of said abutments, and compression means adapted to exert compression between said abutments and against said radius member and members of flexible compressible material.

13. In combination, a base and a vibrated member, and means for imparting vibration to said member along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, and a supporting connection between said member and said base, including a plurality of generally rectilinear elements of flexible compressible material extending transversely across the axis of vibration of said vibrated member, and located one adjacent the base and the other adjacent the vibrated member, and a generally rigid radius member therebetween, one edge of the radius member being opposed to one of said rectilinear elements and the other edge being opposed to the other rectilinear element, and means for maintaining said elements simultaneously under predetermined compression, along a plane of thrust generally coincident with the radius member.

14. In combination, a base and a vibrated mem ber, and means for imparting vibration to said member along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, and a supporting connection between said member and said base, including a plurality of generally rectilinear elements of flexible compressible material extending transversely across the axis of vibration of said vibrated member, and located one adjacent the base and the other adjacent the vibrated member, and a generally rigid radius member therebetween, one edge of the radius member being opposed toone of said rectilinear elements and the other edg being opposed to the other rectilinear element, and means for maintaining said elements simultaneously under predetermined compression, along a plane of thrust generally coincident with the radius member, including compression members extending between said base and vibrated member beyond the ends of said radius member.

15. In combination, a base and a vibrated member, and means for imparting Vibration to said member along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, and a supporting connection between said member and said base, including a plurality of generally rectilinear elements of flexible compressible material extending transversely across the axis of vibration of said vibrated member, one of said elements being upon the base and the other being upon the vibrated member, and a generally rigid radius member therebetween, said vibrated member being located at the upper end of said supporting connection and resting gravitally upon said supporting connection, and means for maintaining the effective length of said supporting connection substantially constant, said elements of flexible compressible material having generally parallel upper and lower exposed faces, said radius member and said base and vibrated member having open abutment faces opposed respectively to the. upper and'lower faces of said elements of flexible compressible material.

16. In combination, a base, a vibrated member, a flexible support for said vibrated member, means for imparting vibration to said member along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, and 'a supporting compression connection be tween the vibrated member and the base, including a bodyof flexible compressible material lo cated adjacent and supported on the base, another body of flexible compressible material located adjacent the vibrated member, and a relatively rigid spacing radius member located between said bodies of flexible compressible material and of sufflcient length to permit a substantial amplitude of vibration of the vibrated member in relation to the base, and along its axis of vibration, with a minimum distortion of said flexible compressible material, and means for holding said vibrated member against movement away from said base and for confining it to generally linear vibration in relation to said base along said generally rectilinear axis, the weight of said vibrated member being transmitted to the base directly through said bodies of flexible compressible material and the spacing radius member therebetween, the body of flexible compressible material supported on the base being fixed in relation to the base except for its deformation resulting from the flexing of the supporting compression connection as a whole, said bodies of flexible compressible material having generally parallel upper and lower exposed faces, said radius memb-er and said base and vibrated member having open abutment faces opposed respectively to the upper and lower faces of said bodies of flexible compressible material.

1'7. In combination, a base, a vibrated member, a flexible support for said vibrated member, means for imparting vibration to said member along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, and a supporting compression connection between the vibrated member and the base, including a body of flexible compressible material located adjacent and supported on the base, another body of flexible compressible material located adjacent the vibrated member, and a relatively rigid spacing radius member located between said bodies of flexible compressible material and of sufficient length to permit a substantial amplitude of vibration of the vibrated member in relation to the base, and along its axis of vibration, with a minimum distortion of said flexible compressible material, means for holding said vibrated member against movement away from said base and for confining it to generally linear vibration in relation to said base along said generally rectilinear axis, and means for maintaining said compression connection under substantially constant compression.

18. In combination, a base, a vibrated member, a flexible support for said vibrated member, means for imparting vibration to said member along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, and a supporting compression connection between the vibrated member and the base, including a body of flexible compressible material located adjacent and mounted on the base, another body of flexible compressible material located adjacent the vibrated member, and a relatively rigid spacing radius member located therebetween, the weight of the vibrated member being supported upon the upper end of said compression connection and being transmitted to the base by the lower end of said compression consaid radius member and said base and vibrated member having open abutment faces opposed respectively to the, upper and lower faces of said bodies of flexible compressible material, and

means for confining the Vibration of the vibrated member to generally rectilinear vibration along,

said generally rectilinear axis.

19. For use with flexible screen supports, including radius. members and abutment members therefor, a rubber tilting compression block having generally parallel upper and lower faces, a relatively hard central fulcrum portion extending between said upper and lower faces and longitudinally and generally rectilinearly along said block, and relatively softer portions integral therewith and located at each side of said central hard fulcrum portion, and extending continuously along each side of the hard portion, the resistance to compression of said hard and softer portions being unequal, the relative widths and the relative resistances to compression of said hard and soft portions being such that said hard portion may function as a fulcrum member, whereby a member located against one side of said block may tilt along an axis parallel with said relatively hard central fulcrum portion.

20. A tilting member including a tilting com pression block having the general characteristics of rubber as regards compression and flexibility, said compression block having generally parallel opposite faces and a relatively hard central fulcrum portion extending between said opposite faces and extending longitudinally and generally rectilinearly along said block, and relatively softer portions integral therewith and located at each side of said central hard fulcrum portion and extending continuously along each side of the hard portion, the resistance to compression of said hard and softer portions being unequal, the relative widths and the relative resistances to compres sion of said hard and soft portions being such that said hard portion may function as a fulcrum member, whereby a member located against one of said faces of said block may tilt along an axis parallel with said relatively hard central fulcrum portion, and opposed relatively tiltable members abutting said opposite faces of said block.

21. A tilting member including a tliting compression block having the general characteristics of rubber as regards compression and flexibility, said compression block having generally parallel opposite faces and a relatively hard central fulcrum portion extending between said opposite faces and extending longitudinally and generally rectilinearly along said block, and relatively softer portions integral therewith and located at each side of said central hard fulcrum portion and extending continuously along each side of the hard portion, the resistance to compression of said hard and softer portions being unequal, the relative widths and the relative resistances to compression of said hard and soft portions being such that said hard portion may function as a fulcrum member, whereby a member located against one of said faces of said block may tilt along an axis parallel with said relatively hard central fulcrum portion, and opposed relatively tiltable members abutting said opposite faces of said block, and means for maintaining said opposed relatively tiltable members compressed nection' through the'intermediary of the body of against said opposite faces while permitting their relative tilting along an axis parallel with said relatively hard central fulcrum portion.

22. In combination, a screen including a screen base, a deck mounted on said base, means for vibrating said deck along a predetermined generally rectilinear axis, an upwardly open abutment fixed on said base and extending beneath and transversely of one end of the screen, a downwardly open abutment on said deck extending transversely of said deck, and a flexible support interposed between said abutments, including a radius member having opposed open abutment faces at top and bottom thereof, and members of flexible and compressible material enclosed between the open upper and lower faces of said radius member and the abutments on the deck and base, respectively, the thrust of said radius member being directly received by said lower member of flexible compressible material and the fixed abutment on the base which supports it, and means for constraining said deck to vibration along said generally rectilinear axis.

LOREN G. SYMONS. 

